A bear's fart

 

We know how outraged Bernhard of Clairvaux, the great abbot and organizer of the Cistercian Order, was about the capitals of some Benedictine orders.
 
We do not know whether he was also familiar with this capital. It is located in the church of St. Andoche in Saulieu in Burgundy.

 

                            Wikipedia, Christophe.Finot - Own work

This unusual depiction is based on a pagan legend, described for example by Sylvie Germain in "Chanson des mal-aimants". Briefly retold: in this manner, bears released wandering souls that were collected by them into spring, after the end of hibernation.

The Church had also taken up with this issue and assigned St. Blaise, who on the capital assists with lifting the tails of the bears.